The Challenge
In this challenge you’ll pull together a press release, a document that fashion PRs (Public Relations) often create in order to attract more media coverage for their brand.
What materials will I need?
- Pen, paper and/or laptop or smartphone: to write notes and bring together your press release
- Access to the internet to research your real or imagined brand
How long will I need to complete this challenge?
Part 1: 1hr
Part 2: 1hr
Before we start: What is a press release?
A press release is an official statement written by a fashion PR, to be delivered to specific journalists with the intention of providing information or making an announcement. For example, a press release may be sent out by a designer’s PR team to let the media know that a new collection is about to be launched that season or that a fashion brand has a new creative director.
A good fashion PR will make sure that they are sending the brand’s press release to the right type of journalist to get relevant coverage for their brand. An example of this would be that if a sportwear brand were to be launching a new sustainable trainer range, the brand’s PRs would need to send this press release to journalists who write specifically about sustainability and sportswear. This is because these journalists will have the type of reading audience who the brand want to attract to buy their trainers.
Part 1: Decide who you are creating a press release for
Choose a real or imagined brand, for example:
- A fashion collection or brand you or a friend are working on right now
- An imaginary brand product- e.g. a new footwear collection by an up-and-coming designer launching in your favourite ‘High Street’ chain
- The brand I focused on for my final major project: Pattern Beauty by Tracee Ellis Ross
Part 2: Establish the 5W’s
A successful press release will make sure to cover all areas of a story: the 5W’s. Remember that a journalist is often writing a story based on the information that you provide them so you will need to tell them everything they need to know. A good way to make sure you are including as much information as possible is by making sure that you are covering the 5 W’s.
- Who?
- What?
- When?
- Where?
- Why?
Research or think about:
Who - all the characters involved that the journalist would need to mention in the story? Is the designer doing a collaboration with an up-and-coming artist? Has the brand campaign been captured by a famous photographer?
What - describe everything that is going on. Are you trying to tell the journalist that the brand will be putting on a fashion show? Maybe they are a womenswear brand who have decided to include menswear this season. These are all things that should be included in the ‘what’ section of your press release.
When - a new collection is coming out, for example? Let the journalist know the exact dates and times, the more details the better. They will need to include this information in their article so that their reader can go out and buy the collection when it launches.
Where - the location of this event. For example, if your brand is opening a new shop on Oxford Street, the fact that the shop is opening on the world-famous Oxford Street in London will need to be clear in the ‘where’ section.
Why - the most important section of your press release. Here you should explain why the information you are providing is important to the journalist and why they should take the time to cover it. As mentioned earlier, this is why it is important to send your press release to journalists who cover similar topics to the brand you are looking to promote in your press release.
My press release for Pattern Beauty started with an overview of the ‘who’ and ‘what’ in the first paragraph meaning the journalist gets the important information about the collaboration between Pattern Beauty and Boots and wants to find out more. I then include the ‘where’ and ‘when’ for my event so they know exactly when and where everything will be happening. The ‘why’ is weaved throughout my press release to make sure I am explaining to the journalist why the brand is partnering with Boots and why they have decided an event to launch this partnership.
Top tip: Include some quotes, real or imagined, in your press release to help add credibility. In my press release, I have used two made up quotes from the brand’s founder as well as the Vice President of beauty at Boots. Journalists can take the quotes from your press release and include them in the article they write about your brand.
Part 3: Collect visual material
The visual element of a press release is just as important as its written content. Journalists need to include images in their stories to draw the reader in and make them want to read the article. The types of visuals you include in your press release will depend on what information you are trying to put out. For example, if a designer is launching a new collection, it would be wise to include pictures of the clothes in your press release. You could also take your own photos to include as a part of your press release.
Suitable images for a press release include:
- Look books
- Show imagery (catwalk and/or backstage)
- Campaign Imagery including graphic design
- Artwork/Portraits
- Videos (if the press release is sent digitally)
Top tip: Provide a link to an online platform such as Google Drive or Dropbox in your digital press release. This will allow journalists to download your collection of visuals and chose what works for their feature on your brand.
Take a look at press page for Kering, who represent brands such as Gucci, Balenciaga and Alexander McQueen, to see other press release examples
Press releases are not limited to the fashion world, they are just as important in art and design. Tate archive their recent exhibition and news press releases.
